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Join CDFA in recognizing National Farmers’ Market Week, August 1-7

Posted on August 3, 2021 by Joshua Bingham

Video in Spanish:

Visit this link for a list of Certified Farmers’ Markets in California.

View this original post on the CDFA Planting Seeds blog.

Posted in CDFA Direct Marketing Program, CDFA Inspection & Compliance Branch, CDFA Inspection Services Division | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

State warns organic farmers to stop using W.O.W. What Out Weeds! and EcoMight-Pro pesticides

Posted on July 30, 2021 by Joshua Bingham

Joint release by California Department of Food and Agriculture and California Department of Pesticide Regulation

The state is warning organic farmers against the use of pesticides labeled as W.O.W Whack Out Weeds! and EcoMight-Pro distributed by EcoMIGHT, as lab tests show that these products labeled as organic, natural and glyphosate-free do in fact contain potentially hazardous chemicals.

Today, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) issued a notice to EcoMIGHT, LLC, a Florida-based company, that it may be in violation of state law by manufacturing, delivering or selling unregistered pesticide products in California. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) issued a Stop Use Notice for organic growers about EcoMIGHT products. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) also notified EcoMIGHT that it may be in violation of federal law.

EcoMIGHT currently markets its products as “organic,” “natural,” “glyphosate-free,” and “non-toxic and safe.” However, state laboratory analyses of W.O.W. Whack Out Weeds! and EcoMight-Pro products sold in California found that the products tested contain potentially hazardous chemicals including glyphosate, bifenthrin, permethrin, cypermethrin, and carbaryl. California registered pesticides that contain these chemicals go through scientific review and have specific requirements for use and personal protective equipment that protect workers, communities and the environment from harmful pesticide exposure. W.O.W Whack Out Weeds! and EcoMight-Pro do not contain these safety instructions.

The synthetic chemical compounds CDFA laboratory analysis found in W.O.W. Whack Out Weeds! and EcoMight-Pro products are prohibited for use in organic production by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program. Additionally, these products pose a public health risk because the products were found to contain hazardous chemicals not disclosed on their labels.

“It is imperative that we alert California organic growers that these EcoMIGHT products contain substances that are prohibited in organic production, in order to preserve the integrity of the California organic label and to protect our growers,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross.

Read CDFA’s Stop Use Notice.

Click here to read the full news release.

Posted in CDFA California State Organic Program, CDFA Inspection & Compliance Branch, CDFA Inspection Services Division | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Webinar series and interim report about agricultural neighbor best practices for food safety available online

Posted on July 29, 2021 by Joshua Bingham

A webinar series hosted by the California Farm Bureau Federation in partnership with the Monterey County Farm Bureau and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) about best food safety practices for agricultural neighbors is now available online. The recordings include members of the California Agricultural Neighbors (CAN) group discussing the CAN interim report, “California Agricultural Neighbors: Neighbor-to-neighbor best practices to enhance localized food safety efforts.”

“The diversity of our agricultural community here in California means we can gather an impressive array of subject-matter experts along with farmers and ranchers, and they can get right down to the business of developing cutting-edge food safety practices,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross.

“The California Agricultural Neighbors webinars are great examples of the knowledge and collective power of the farming and ranching community when we work together to solve field-level problems,” said Jim Houston, administrator of California Farm Bureau Federation.

CAN membership includes representation from the agricultural production community (leafy greens, cattle ranching, viticulture, compost), academia, associations (industry, consumer/retail) and government (local, state, federal). CAN was formed in response to continued outbreaks of pathogenic E. coli O157:H7 associated with leafy greens in California’s Salinas Valley. CAN provides a roundtable forum to foster collaboration and discuss enhanced neighborly food safety practices when agriculture operations are adjacent to one another.

Click on the images (above) or on the following links to view the webinar recordings:

View this post on CDFA’s Planting Seeds blog.

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California Farm to School Network newsletter highlights free school meals, new Instagram page, successful programs, resources

Posted on July 27, 2021 by Joshua Bingham

Click here to view the July 2021 California Farm to School Network newsletter.

The California Farm to School Network includes farm to school practitioners and enthusiasts statewide. Click on the newsletter subscribe button to also receive these monthly updates that include information about grants, resources, research, webinars, events and news from the National Farm to School Network. The California Farm to School Program is part of the California Department of Food and Agriculture Office of Farm to Fork (CDFA-F2F) in the Division of Inspection Services.

Posted in CDFA Farm to School Network, CDFA Farm to School Program, CDFA Inspection Services Division, CDFA Office of Farm to Fork | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

CDFA announces vacancies on Standardization Advisory Committee

Posted on July 20, 2021 by Joshua Bingham

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is announcing vacancies on the Standardization Advisory Committee.

The committee advises the CDFA secretary on all matters pertaining to the Standardization Program, as well as reviewing proposed regulations and making recommendations concerning assessment rates, fees to provide adequate inspection services and the annual budget.
 
The current vacancies include Fresh Fruit Members representing oranges, other citrus fruit and/or table grapes; Fresh Vegetable Members representing broccoli, lettuce or tomatoes; Other Fresh Vegetable Members representing any fresh vegetable commodity subject to standardization; Other Fresh Fruit Member representing cantaloupe and melon; and Other Commodity Member representing a commodity subject to the Standardization Program.

Click here to read a CDFA press release for more details and directions on how to apply.

Posted in CDFA Inspection & Compliance Branch, CDFA Inspection Services Division, CDFA Standardization Advisory Committee, CDFA Standardization Program | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Summer Quarterly Feed Update newsletter released

Posted on July 16, 2021 by Joshua Bingham

Click here to read the Summer 2021 Quarterly Feed Update distributed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Commercial Feed Regulatory Program.

Highlights include:

  • Notice to Industry: Commercial Feed License changes
  • By-product regulations released for public comment
  • Staff changes
  • Annual license renewal reminder
  • Safe Animal Feed Education (SAFE) Program update on human food by-products

The Commercial Feed Regulatory Program is part of the Feed, Fertilizer and Livestock Drugs Regulatory Services branch of CDFA’s Inspection Services Division.

Posted in CDFA Antimicrobial Use and Stewardship Program, CDFA Commercial Feed Regulatory Program, CDFA Feed Inspection Advisory Board, CDFA Feed, Fertilizer and Livestock Drugs Regulatory Services Branch, CDFA Inspection Services Division, CDFA Livestock Drug Program, CDFA Safe Animal Feed Education (SAFE) | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

First two webinars in Good Agricultural Neighbors series posted, registration still open for last webinar on July 14

Posted on July 13, 2021 by Joshua Bingham
This second webinar recording is now available online.

The first two of three webinars about best food safety practices for agricultural neighbors are available to view online and registration is still open for the last webinar on July 14. Hosted by the California Farm Bureau Federation in partnership with Monterey County Farm Bureau and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the webinars include:

This webinar series is related to the California Agricultural Neighbors (CAN) group release of its interim report, “California Agricultural Neighbors: Neighbor-to-neighbor best practices to help enhance localized food safety efforts.” CAN membership includes representation from the agricultural production community (leafy greens, cattle ranching, viticulture, compost), academia, associations (industry, consumer/retail) and government (local, state, federal). CAN was formed in response to continued outbreaks of pathogenic E. coli O157:H7 associated with leafy greens in California’s Salinas Valley. CAN provides a roundtable forum to foster collaboration and discuss enhanced neighborly food safety practices when agriculture operations are adjacent to one another.

Click here to read a CDFA Planting Seeds blog post with more details about CAN and the webinar series.

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First webinar in Good Agricultural Neighbors series posted, registration still open for remaining webinars on July 7 and July 14

Posted on July 6, 2021 by Joshua Bingham
The first webinar recording is available online.

The first of three webinars about best food safety practices for agricultural neighbors is available to view online and there’s still time to sign up for the remaining webinars. Hosted by the California Farm Bureau Federation in partnership with Monterey County Farm Bureau and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the webinars include:

This webinar series is related to the California Agricultural Neighbors (CAN) group release of its interim report, “California Agricultural Neighbors: Neighbor-to-neighbor best practices to help enhance localized food safety efforts.” CAN membership includes representation from the agricultural production community (leafy greens, cattle ranching, viticulture, compost), academia, associations (industry, consumer/retail) and government (local, state, federal). CAN was formed in response to continued outbreaks of pathogenic E. coli O157:H7 associated with leafy greens in California’s Salinas Valley. CAN provides a roundtable forum to foster collaboration and discuss enhanced neighborly food safety practices when agriculture operations are adjacent to one another.

Click here to read a CDFA Planting Seeds blog post with more details about CAN and the webinar series.

Posted in CDFA Inspection Services Division | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Reducing Food Loss and Waste

Posted on July 2, 2021 by Joshua Bingham

USDA News Release

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced new resources to inform consumers on how to reduce food waste during the July Fourth holiday and beyond.  

According to USDA research, the average family of four wastes nearly $1,500 worth of food each year. And the food that goes in the trash winds up in a landfill where it creates methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.  

On July Fourth and all summer long, USDA encourages consumers to use four simple steps to reduce food waste at home.  

  • Plan ahead – Before you go to the grocery store or order online, make a list so you don’t buy more than you need.
  • Serve smart – portion control is good for your waistline, and good for reducing plate waste.
  • Love your leftovers – Pack leftovers in small portions in shallow containers, mark the contents and date, and refrigerate or freeze immediately.
  • Compost, don’t trash – Food in landfills produces harmful methane. You can recycle your food scraps in a home compost bin or at a local compost center.

Learn more about food loss and waste prevention at www.usda.gov/foodlossandwaste.  

CDFA’s Food Recovery program has produced a video on the issue:

View this original post on the CDFA Planting Seeds blog.

Posted in CDFA Food Recovery, CDFA Inspection Services Division | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Apply now to fill vacancies on Fertilizer Inspection Advisory Board

Posted on June 29, 2021 by Joshua Bingham

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) announces three vacancies on the Fertilizer Inspection Advisory Board. The board advises the secretary on CDFA’s Fertilizing Materials Inspection Program (FMIP), which ensures fertilizing materials are safe, effective and meet quality guarantees.

As part of the program, FMIP inspectors and investigators located throughout the state conduct routine sampling and inspections; respond to consumer complaints; and enforce laws and regulations that govern the manufacturing and distribution of fertilizing materials. FMIP is funded by fertilizing materials license and product registration fees and mill assessments.

There are three board positions available. View a CDFA press release for more details and directions on how to apply by August 31, 2021.

Posted in CDFA Feed, Fertilizer and Livestock Drugs Regulatory Services Branch, CDFA Fertilizer Inspection Advisory Board, CDFA Fertilizing Materials Inspection Program, CDFA Inspection Services Division | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment